The film adaptation of Evil is breaking box office records and may be the biggest film of the Thanksgiving season. But it has also become the starting point of a reignited debate about theater etiquette that has been raging for several years and is becoming increasingly heated as more and more people pull out their cell phones to take photos and videos of the latest big movie. Or start singing. And I'm here to tell these people to break up.
As I scrolled through the dying corpse of what was once called Twitter, I came across a tweet from someone sharing a photo they had taken Evil Title card while watching the hit film in the cinema. They asked people to share their photos of the sight Evil. Hundreds of people did. It was all very depressing and frustrating to watch. This then led to even more people calling out the first post and taking part in online debates.
The arguments that photographers usually make include things like: “I had my screen dimmed and only took one or two pictures!” or “I paid money, I can use my phone!” or even “I want to go Chatting with my friends while watching a movie.”
All of these arguments are stupid.
I don't care how dark your device's screen is, taking photos is annoying. I'd also bet that anyone willing to raise their camera – potentially blocking other people's view of the screen – to take a photo of the film in a crowded theater is probably the type of person who may also start singing or talking loudly, ruining the experience for other people trying to enjoy the movie.
You also paid money for a ticket to a movie. That's it. This ticket does not magically make you more important than anyone else and does not excuse you from following the same rules that apply to all moviegoers in your theater. How many damn commercials and videos telling you to turn off your phone and be quiet do you have to watch before the movie starts?
And if you want to chat with your friends or send them text or video calls or whatever, why are you doing that in a theater? If you are trying to reach someone due to an emergency, go outside. If someone you really want to talk to sends you a direct message, get out. If you receive a call, please step out!
Once while I was at the cinema, I received a call from my father. I had my phone set to vibrate and when I got the call I looked down, saw he was calling, got up and texted him from the hallway. It wasn't an emergency, so I told him I'd call back later, put my phone away and went back to my seat. It really is that simple.
Stop ruining the experience
B. for taking photos or videos from the screen TikTok or whatever social media platform You prefer, just don't do it. Maybe you don't care about the experience of watching a movie in a dark theater, but many people do. These days, a lot of people pay money, not exactly a small amount, to eat popcorn and enjoy a movie on a big screen in a room where we all agree to be quiet and focus on one thing: the movie .
It is a truly amazing and magical experience.
This might sound cheesy or like I take films very seriously, but I'm just being honest. I think you should watch films at home however you want. Watch the latest arthouse film on your phone. Watch the same MCU films over and over again and claim they are real cinema. Fine! But when you perform in public in a theater, you have to perform better. You have to have good film manners.
And look, I understand. I'm way too online. My job forces me to be online all the time. My phone is with me 24/7. I watch the news at 2 a.m. and work on my vacation. I understand it might be difficult to disconnect. But what I love about seeing a movie in the theater is that for a few hours it forces me to really disconnect from reality and all the stress of online life and just… disappear into a movie. Take advantage of this rare moment when society (mostly) agrees to switch off and be quiet.
When some idiot starts using their phone it ruins everything, especially if the screen is bright or they are loud. I don't want to hear your SMS notification sound. I don't want to see your phone's glowing screen out of the corner of my eye. I just want to watch a movie in a dark, quiet room on a huge screen for three hours, and I paid money for that. Don't ruin this.
If you can't stop using your phone or talking, watch a movie at home and do whatever you want. That's okay! Just leave the theaters so people can leave their phones silenced and mostly forgotten in their pockets for a few precious hours. Please.
